Time setting mechanism for radio receivers



G. KATZ Oct. 21, 1941.

TIME SETTING MECHANISM FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed July 31, 1939 vINVENTOR. 650'? E K/arz.

Patented Oct. 21, 1941 TIME SETTING MECHANISM FOR RECEIVERS RADIO GeorgeKatz, New York, NY;

Application July 31, 1939, SerialNo. 287,440

1 Claim.

This invention relates to mechanism for making or breaking an electriccircuit at a predetermined time, with special reference to the controlof radio apparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide means, settable at apredetermined time in advance in accordance with a known programme,whereby a radio receiving instrument, actuated by an electric current,may be started or stopped automatically at a given time.

A further feature is in the provision of means, including a clockmechanism, and switch actuated thereby, that may be depended upon tocontrol the circuit actuating the radio receiver, accurately andunfailingly.

Another purpose is to produce such devices in a practical, simple andinexpensive form, easily installed and readily operated.

These valuable objects are attained by the novel construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and. shown in theaccompanying drawing, constituting a component of this disclosure and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a clock embodying th invention.

Figure 2 is a side view thereof.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the same.

Figure 4 is an enlarged front view of the switch actuating mechanism ofthe clock.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4,showing the mercury switch in a level, open position.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the same with the switch tilted into aclosed position.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side view looking in the direction of line l'|of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is another like view looking in the direction of line 8-8 ofFigure 6.

Figure 9 is a diagram of the electric wiring and circuit controllingmercury switch.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the numeral l5 designatesthe base of a clock l6 having a circular casing ll, hour indicating diall8, and closed back I9.

Secured to a ring 20, just behind the face, is a clockworks frame 2|, inwhich is mounted a central spindle 22, having fixed upon it a spur gear23, engaging a long pinion 24, which transmits motion to a gear 25slidable on a spindle 26 directly above the spindle 22, without becomingunmeshed from the pinion.

The hub 21 of the gear 25 has formed in it a notch 28 receptive of a pin29, set transversely in the spindle 26, the gear being urged normallyoutward by a flat spring 30 secured to the frame 2|.

On the end of the spindle 26 extending through the back [9 is a knob 3|by which the spindle may be manually turned and carrying with it a hand32 movable over a dial 33 on the face of the clock.

Carried by the spindle 2B is a spring cradle 34 in which is mounted amercury switch tube 35. The cradle is urged along the spindle in thedirection of the gear 25 by a collar 36 slidable on the spindle andwhich is pressed by a spring 31.

Fixed to the cradle 34, to extend therebelow and outwardly through andbeyond the clock casing I1, is a resetting hand lever 40, pivoted on thespindle 26 and having a bevelled portion 4| adapted to engage a stem 42,formed at a right angle on the free end of the spring 30, this stemresting on the upper surface of the lever 40 when the lever is tiltedcounterclockwise by hand, thus causing the inclined surface 4| to pressthe spring 30 momentarily outward until the stem 42 slips above thelever 40.

When the mercury tube 35 is level, as indicated in Figure 5, the gear 25is pressed against the pin 29 by the spring 30; as the spindle 26 isrotated by the clock mechanism, the cam notch 28 in the gear hub 21,forces the gear to move towards the cradle 34 and the stem 42 of thespring 30 to engage the bevelled portion 4| of the lever 40, by whichthe lever is guided in tilting the saddle and mercury tube into theposition indicated in Figure 6, against the tension of a coiledcontractile spring 43, which normally draws the saddle and tube into ahorizontal position.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a socket 45, fixed on the back of theclock It, receives current from conductors carried in a cable 46, and isprovided with openings 41 to receive an ordinary commercial plug (notshown) connected to a radio receiving apparatus.

A manually operable switch 48 is provided on the side of the clockcasing to open and close the circuit, which is also controlled by themercury switch tube 35 in the well known manner. In operation, when fromthe horizontal position, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the mercury switchis tilted to the position shown in Figures 6 and 8, wherein the stem 42engages above the arm 49, thereby holding the switch in one positionuntil the set time, whereupon the stem 42 moves to the right when thenotch in the gear hub 21 comes into position to receive the pin 29.

This allows the spring 43 to draw the mercury switch upward into itsother position.

After a short duration the stem 42 will again move to the left, butnothing occurs to the switch as the stem contacts the bevelled portion4| of the hand lever and stays in contact with it until the hand lever40 is pressed down to again set the switch to its other position; thusthe bevelled notch 4| is for the purpose of enabling manual resetting.

Having thus described the invention and set forth the manner of itsconstruction and application, what is claimed as new and sought tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

A time setting mechanism for an electric radio receiver, comprising incombination with an electric current, a clock having a motor driven geartrain, a support frame and a dial, a spindle in said frame, a gearslidable on said spindle while in mesh with said train, said gear havinga hub containing a cam notch, a pin fixed in said spindle adapted toengage in the notch, a spring pressing said gear against the pin, a handsetting lever pivoted on said spindle extending outwardly of the frame,a saddle on said lever, a mercury switch carried in said saddlecontrolling current to said receiver, a stem extending from said springadapted to retain said switch in an inclined position when said gear ispressed towards said saddle, a hand movable by said spindle over saiddial to indicate the position of the hub notch relative to said pin, andresilient means opposed to said lever adapted to return said saddle tonormal position.

GEORGE KATZ.

